republic day - Blogabond

Our first weekend on the program and also Republic Day. Cheers to a Democratic India! Well, yesterday began alright, it was our first ‘class excursion’ meaning we took a truck around Jaipur to see city palace and went up for a short period to Amber Fort (the old fortified city in the hills just outside Jaipur). I bought batteries for my camera and like a nervous fool agreed to Rp. 150 (to my credit down from 300 and less than another kid, Zander, who paid 200) even though I KNEW 6 batteries were worth only 120. Grr. I need to work on having the nerve to bargain fully. I got left behind by the group buying the batteries (they went on from the sun dial area to the palace) and nearly gave Mitji (one of our directors) a heart attack in the process. I also almost got fined Rp. 500 for stupidly taking a picture in the city palace armory. Fortunately, they let me just delete the picture and wallow in disgust at stupid rules.
Well, Amber palace was fun if only because Aarthi, Meghan, and I ‘got lost’ through the upper and maze-like back stories of the palace. The view of the hills was just spectacular. We decided we definitely have to play sardines or capture the flag when we come back again on Sunday.
Unfortunately, the day went downhill from there. I got extremely frustrated with Sunita by the end of it (tho hopefully this didn’t show) starting with her telling me I can’t work at the computer desk and ending with us leaving an interesting –but unintelligible—theater performance about the unifranchised people of India at the JKK (a sort of performing and studio art center)
The frustration began with our decision to stop at the two internet cafes on the way home. Both were absolutely horrible. I spent 10 minutes waiting for the thing to try and attach a word document…and waited..and waited. It never worked and put my frustration level through the roof. Fortunately, that story has a happy ending because today we went toward raja park and found another place quite close to the school with a fast connection, clean computers, skype connection, and a guy who could make change! Its gonna be our internet place from now on.
We went om 2 more productive errands: picked up snack food to horde from Reliance Fresh and bought for myself a complete salwar camise for 540 (for those of you who don’t know, this is a traditional women’s daily wear—its like loose pants and a top that looks like a knee length dress with side slits-- mine is blue with glass bits and a gold leaf design and edging), specified tailoring and all. It was a no-bargain store, but the owner was a sikh and I think the stuff is high quality, so I’m hoping I wasn’t ripped off in that whole affair. Now we are simply waiting and pining (or maybe that’s just me) for seeing Aamir Khan.

written by

Drie on January 26, 2008 from Jaipur, India

from the travel blog: Adventures in Hindustan

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There is a great cheap, quiet, private, clean, working (!) cyber cafe in Tilak Nagar. I wonder if that is the one you found.

written by Josh on January 30, 2008

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